As Information and Communications Technology continues to become a growing thread in the fabric of all nations, the people using these billions of digital devices must learn to identify, at a minimum, the iPredator when traveling through cyberspace. The veil of anonymity afforded to all online users is taken for granted when used by those engaging in malevolent and nefarious activities. It is for this reason that all online users must practice caution online.

New York State licensed psychologist and certified forensic consultant, Dr. Michael Nuccitelli, has updated and made available for free download his iPredator Bridge Warning Signs Checklist (IBWSC). The IBWSC is a 50-item checklist designed to investigate if a loved one, colleague or peer is participating in or close to participating in harmful online and/or ICT activities towards others.

iPredator Bridge Warning Signs Checklist (IBWSC): Based on the iPredator Bridge construct, the iPredator Bridge Warning Signs Checklist (IBWSC) is a 50 item checklist designed to investigate if a loved one, colleague or peer is participating in or close to participating in harmful online and/or ICT activities towards others. Multiple affirmative responses to IBWSC statements suggests the person being queried exhibits patterned and/or observable behavioral patterns indicating they may be engaged in iPredator activities. The IBWSC focuses on confirmed behavioral observations and not upon personal convictions and/or philosophical reasons for harming others online or using ICT.

The IBWSC assumes there are both people engaged in nefarious and malevolent activities and those engaged in harming others driven by distorted beliefs they are doing so for righteous and/or morally supported reasons. The common thread identical in both segments is the victims they target suffer from their attacks.

The IBWSC has not been validated by clinical research, a governing body or academic institution. It has been compiled and published to be a point of reference to educate and assist anyone who is concerned that they, their children, business or community are in the presence of an iPredator or someone in transit to becoming an iPredator. Used to develop the IBWSC, a brief definition of iPredator and iPredator Bridge is as follows:

iPredator Bridge: iPredator Bridge is a theoretical tenet of iPredator representing the psychological, perceptual & behavioral trajectory of people who use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to harm others. Similar to the iPredator, they are motivated by personal convictions, greed, power, control, narcissism or psychopathology. Different from the iPredator, they have yet to fully engage in criminal/deviant activities using ICT or use complex perceptual distortions to validate the harm they cause. iPredator Bridge investigates why some people draw near to this nefarious and malevolent realm and either proceed in their maladaptive trajectory or cease and desist.

iPredator: A child, adult or group who, directly or indirectly, engages in exploitation, victimization, stalking, theft or disparagement of others using Information and Communications Technology (ICT.) iPredators are driven by deviant fantasies, desires for power and control, retribution, religious fanaticism, political reprisal, psychiatric illness, perceptual distortions, peer acceptance or personal and financial gain. iPredators can be any age, either gender and not bound by economic status, race or national heritage.

iPredator is a global term used to distinguish anyone who engages in criminal, deviant or abusive behaviors using Information and Communications Technology (ICT.) Whether the offender is a cyberbully, cyberstalker, cyber harasser, cybercriminal, online sexual predator, internet troll or cyber terrorist, they fall within the scope of iPredator.

According to iPredator Inc.’s founder, Dr. Michael Nuccitelli, Hoping to one day secure seed funding in our mission to stop online victimization, I look forward to a day when, not just 95%, but 100% of our Internet safety information is free to all parents, educators and site visitors.

To download a free copy of the IBWSC, simply visit the iPredator website, scroll to the bottom of the IBWSC web page and click on the green print button. Visitors are not required to join or offer any personal information. As of 11/15/12, iPredator Inc.s website is live & functional, but the Products & Checklists page is under construction with projected completion date of December, 2012.